


Incedendo

by coolbyrne



Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-02 06:37:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4049983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolbyrne/pseuds/coolbyrne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to "Resurgo", Jane and Maura find themselves trying to survive in the wake of a zombie apocalypse. (Not really necessary to read "Resurgo" first, but of course, it wouldn't hurt!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Slight AU in that it takes place during a zombie apocalypse. :) Other than that, I've tried to keep the characters as true to what we know of them as much as possible. Well, what we know of them pre-season 3. That's the Jane/Maura I envision when I write.
> 
> As always, I owe the finished product to my beta and zombie apocalypse partner, happycamper5.
> 
> "Resurgo" means "rise again". "Incedendo" means "moving forward".

…..

  
  


”Okay, your turn.”

 

“I don’t think I can do it.”

 

“Maura, it’s the zombie apocalypse. You’re going to have to do it sooner or later.”

 

“I’ll do it next time, I promise. Can you finish it?”

 

“Fine. But just remember, the time’s going to come when you don’t have a choice.” Jane shrugged and popped the last bit into her mouth. “You ate Chef Boy-R-Dee. I don’t know why Spam is such a big deal.”

 

“I was out of my mind with grief, Jane. Mr. Dee and I forged a special bond in the morgue while you were…sick.”

 

Both women knew the unspoken. Jane hadn’t simply been sick; she’d been hours away from suffering the same fate that had befallen the rest of the shambling undead. Only a last ditch should-have-been-fatal blood transfusion from Maura had saved the day. And her humanity.

 

“Hmmm, suit yourself,” Jane said. “But don’t come crying to me when you’ve eaten nothing but Turkey Jerky for a week.”

 

“At least I know what animal it’s from,” Maura replied, wrinkling her nose.

 

“You know, that’s the same face I made whenever I had to eat broccoli.”

 

Maura closed her eyes and sighed, “I would kill for broccoli.”

 

“If there’s a silver lining to the zombie apocalypse, we’ll likely never see broccoli again. Yay!” She placed two guns on the table. “Okay, Sprout, you lost the bet. You have to clean the guns.”

 

“I know, I know.”

 

Maura pulled the kit out of her bag and carefully laid out the wire, cloth, and solvent. Jane pulled up a chair near the bedroom door, and like a cat, kept one ear open towards the downstairs of the two-level home they were using for the night. They had argued the finer points of safety, weighing the pros and cons. Was it safer to stay on the first floor, where escape would be immediate in the event of danger, but where they could get trapped if both doors were blocked? Or was the second floor best, where they would have time to plot an escape, but an escape that would mean having to find a way out of the bedroom window? In the end, they both agreed that a small moment to catch their breath would be worth spending 10 minutes tying together sheets to make a rope they may never need. Though they could never fully relax, it was a welcome reprieve.

 

Jane sat back in the chair, gun holstered but always at the ready, and a Blackhawk tactical knife clipped to her belt loop. They had four guns in total, and had taken only two from the BPD weapons room, along with the two knives. They had sacrificed carrying more weapons for more ammunition, and they both knew it would be important to keep them in good condition. As she watched Maura meticulously disassemble the first pistol, she thought back to their last moments in the station.

 

_They didn't have any difficulty moving from room to room, and Maura wondered aloud if being the last two left in the building was the best thing to happen. Still, they tread with caution, creeping silently down the hall until reaching the weapons room. Of course it had been picked over by the time they got to it, but the armoury man's own gun safe still stood in the corner, and Maura was surprised when Jane reached under the desk and peeled away a piece of paper taped to the underside._

_Seeing Maura's expression, Jane smirked. "I always was the old man's favourite. When I won the accuracy contest my first year on the force, he never let the guys live it down. Said I could always come to him if I ever needed anything." She rotated the tumbler according to the instructions on the paper. "He'd be happy to know I came to him." The steel door unlocked with a thud and slowly opened, revealing its contents. Jane whistled. “He was holding out on me.” Inside were 3 bolt action Remington rifles and 6 handguns that made Jane swoon. She picked up the hefty TOZ 36 and shook her head. “Six handguns and 4 are foreign made? I’m disappointed.”_

_Maura took stock of the guns: a TOZ, 2 Berettas, and a Heckler and Koch. “The Glocks are from Austria. Named after Gaston Glock,” she informed her. “He was six for six.” Seeing Jane’s disappointed expression, she offered, “The Remingtons are American.”_

_Jane sighed. “Let’s go with the Glocks. That gives us 4 9mms. Won’t have to worry about specific ammo for specific guns.” She reluctantly put down the TOZ. “I never fired that one...” She began passing Maura small boxes of ammunition. “I’d love to take one of the rifles, but we can’t afford the bulk. We will take these, though.” Carefully, she unclipped two scopes. “We can use these like binoculars. Take one. The cleaning kits, too.”_

_They worked quickly but with precision, mindful not only of their surroundings, but of the packs they had to carry. Not an inch of space was wasted, and when they were finished, they slung tightly compacted bags over their shoulders._

_“Okay,” Jane said, pleased with their progress. “Now back down to the basement. If we can get to the gym, I’ve got some spare clothes in my locker.”_

_The return trip down stairs was met without incident. Jane rolled her extra shirt and sweats into the bag, and kicked off her boots. Slipping into her running shoes, she carefully placed the boots into her locker and turned the combination. “What?” she asked a very amused Maura. “I might come back for those. Wouldn’t want anyone taking them.”_

_Without another word, they made their way to the garage, where they both nearly jumped out of their skin when Maura’s car alarm beeped in the darkness. The trunk opened, oblivious to their racing hearts._

_“Jesus, you’d think for the price you paid, there’d be some kind of stealth alarm,” Jane said, trying to hold the flashlight steady in the wake of her nerves._

_Maura stopped in her tracks. “Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose?”_

_“Get your stuff,” Jane replied, deflecting the question. “I don’t see anything, but let’s not push it.”_

_Nodding, Maura grabbed her work out clothes and pushed them into her bag. She looked into the trunk and sighed dramatically._

 

_“What is it?”_

_“My Louboutins,” Maura lamented._

_Jane’s mouth twitched. “See? Now you know. Should we run them back and throw them in the locker with my boots?”_

_With one last look of longing, she said, “No. If someone comes along, they deserve to have some beauty in their lives.”_

 

They had plotted their route out of Boston before they left the morgue, and now, after two days on foot, they found themselves almost 25 miles outside the city.

 

"Do you know why I suggested we go this way?"

 

Maura didn't bother looking up from her task. She carefully slid the damp cloth through the chamber. "You said you felt it was safer. The interstate might be quicker, but the 'zombs' would see us coming a mile away."

 

"And then you said, 'There hasn't been enough empirical data collected to know for certain if they can see a mile'," Jane parroted.

 

"You make me sound like Cher." She pulled the cloth through one more time. "So what was your other reason? I'm assuming you have one, since you asked the question."

 

Jane tapped her heels and looked at the floor. "Natick, Massachusetts. It was me and Frost's first case. We got a tip that our suspect was hiding at his mother's house."

 

"Not much of a hiding spot," Maura remarked.

 

"Not much of a suspect in the brains department, either. But damn, he could run. We chased him for almost 20 minutes. Up fire escapes, over roof tops, through windows. Finally, Frost has had enough - he jumps from the fire escape into the garbage bin." Jane laughed at the memory. "I come around the corner and there's Frost handcuffing the guy to the railing, with all this..." Jane gestured all over her body, "Food and garbage covering him, head to toe. He was not happy."

 

"Poor Barry," Maura said. "He does love his clothes." When there was no response, Maura lifted her head. "What?"

 

"You said 'love' not 'loved. Present tense."

 

"Of course. Until there comes a time when we might know otherwise..." She shrugged and returned her attention to the table.

 

Jane watched quietly, admiring the able skill in which Maura broke down, and now reassembled the weapon. Hands that were so precise and deft with a scalpel were just as sure with the gun.

 

"Do you think it's possible? Someone we know being alive?'

 

Names went unspoken.

 

Maura handed the weapon to Jane for her inspection. "I don’t see why not. We are."

.....

 

…..

 

The fall air whistled through the cracks, as if the old house itself was moaning. Dusk had cast everything into semi-darkness, and the second floor bedroom was even darker with the curtains drawn.

 

"That's going to drive me crazy," Jane complained.

 

"It is a bit jarring," Maura admitted. "It wouldn't pass a home inspection."

 

There was something so abnormally normal about the idea that made Jane chuckle. "Pretty sure the owners aren't looking to sell." She cautiously pushed the curtain open and lifted the scope. "How long do you think it will take us to get to Westover?"

 

_There had been some hesitation when they finally got away from the BPD building and sorted their bearings. On a rooftop, they turned on one of the handhelds from the station, and scrolled through the standard emergency channels until they came across an automated message:_

**_Westover Air Base is deploying evacuation order #448, as per the Emergency Terrorist Act. Safety measures have been put in place. Those seeking asylum are asked to proceed with caution. Westover Air Base is deploying evacuation order #448, as per-_ **

 

_"Is that good or bad?" Maura asked._

_"Not sure we have any choice but to find out," Jane admitted._

 

Maura looked off to the side and made her calculations. "Natick is 25 miles outside of Boston, so we're walking 13 miles a day. Slower than the average 3-4 miles per hour a healthy person can walk, but circumstances are extenuating. At our current rate, I'd say 5 days."

 

Not taking her eyes away from the window, Jane said, "We could make it in 4, if we walked faster.”

 

"I'd rather not sacrifice caution for speed," Maura replied. Pulling back the blanket on the bed, she sighed. "I'm not sure I'll ever get used to sleeping in a stranger's bed."

 

Jane snickered. "Can't handle the germs, huh?"

 

"No, that's not it at all. You'd be surprised at how well I've trained my mind to ignore certain...unsanitary aspects of our journey. I'm finding the not knowing has been unexpectedly difficult."

 

Turning, Jane looked at her with concern. "What do you mean?"

 

She smoothed out the pillow and shrugged. "What happened to the person who used to sleep in this bed?" she wondered. "Are they on their way to Westover, or are they going somewhere else? Are they alone or with a loved one? Or are they dead? Or infected?"

 

"Come on, let's get you into bed."

 

Jane coached Maura onto the mattress, gently swinging the blonde's legs up and removing her shoes. She pulled off Maura's socks and replaced them with a fresh pair. It was another advantage of not taking the interstate: basic supplies were easier to find, and after almost a month in the morgue, something as simple as a clean pair of socks did wonders for their morale. She slid into the bed beside Maura and waited for her to nestle into her side. When she rested her ear against her heart, Jane said nothing. Three nights into their journey, and this had already become a routine; Maura seemed to need the reassurance that Jane's heart was indeed beating, that she was alive and well beside her, before she could fall asleep.

 

"I have to believe everyone's made it, even the owner of this bed. Until there comes a time when we might know otherwise..." She could feel Maura's smile in the dark. Kissing the top of her head, Jane whispered, "Go to sleep. I'll wake you up in 4 hours."

 

.....

 

"What is it?" Maura asked, immediately rousing when Jane stood up.

 

"I spent 10 minutes inching my way off the bed to _not_ wake you," Jane replied. "Go back to sleep. It's nothing."

 

The order was too late, however, and Maura sat up, immediately reaching for her gun.

 

"Maura, really. It's nothing except the fact you're warm and soft and I almost fell asleep."

 

"The advantage of not being able to see your face in the dark is that it increases my ability to detect the lie in your voice. What aren't you telling me?"

 

"Fine, Matt Murdock. Come to the window."

 

The night was black and moonless, covering everything in darkness. Having been awake as the light changed, Jane's vision was already accustomed to the shift, and she waited for Maura's eyes to do the same. When she felt Maura tuck in between her and the window, she parted the curtains an inch and poked her scope in the space.

 

"It's a gut feeling I had earlier." She stopped Maura's objection before it was uttered. "I wasn't worried. If I thought it was serious, I would've said. I promise." This seemed to appease her, and Jane continued, "I thought I saw someone."

 

"What??"

 

"I couldn't tell for sure. At first, I thought it was a zomb, and by the time I got a second look, he was gone."

 

"Okay, first, you know I hate it when you call them 'zombs'. Second, what made you change your mind?"

 

"I can't explain it. That's why it's called 'a gut feeling', Maura."

 

"Very funny."

 

"I don't know," Jane shrugged. "He moved differently. Like with a purpose. Though he didn't have much to worry about - this area looks pretty clear."

 

Maura hummed. "In fact, it's been mostly clear since we left Boston, hasn't it?"

 

She was right - beyond a few potential ambushes that they avoided without notice, they had come across very little trouble. The sightings were definitely fewer the farther they got from the city. Whether it was just due to the reduction in population or something more, Jane wasn't sure.

 

"There!" She whispered, as if her discovery could hear her. Handing the scope to Maura, she said, "Between those two big trees, about 5 streets away."

 

Maura brought the high-powered lens to her eye. It didn't take long before she noticed the anomaly. "It's a fire!"

 

"Yep. Ballsy. Though maybe he figures he's high enough up that no one will notice." Unlike the two of them, the stranger was on the top floor of an eight storey building.

 

"We need to contact him," Maura said.

 

"What?? Give me that." She took the scope from the bewildered blonde. "We have no idea who that is, or even how many there might be. Besides, he's not looking for company - he's got the curtains pulled, just like us." She took another look into the night. Out of the blue, she began to chuckle.

 

Maura shifted against her. "What is it?"

 

"I just realized, he's hiding out in the police station."

 

"All the more reason to make contact. He could be a police officer."

 

"Or, he could be a whackjob who found a safe place to hide." Turning Maura around in her arms, she kissed her forehead and said, "Go back to bed. You didn't get enough sleep."

 

"And you didn't get any. It's your turn, go." She saw Jane's expression in the dark room. "I won't do anything stupid. I promise "

 

"You're incapable of doing anything stupid," Jane said, but let herself be led over to the bed. She flopped down and took a moment to enjoy the feel of Maura removing her shoes and socks. "Just... don't do anything, okay? Keep watch and wake me at first light."

 

Maura nodded. "Okay."

 

As Jane settled into the sheets, she said, "We're not wasting time tomorrow trying to find this guy, right?"

 

She was asleep before she heard the answer.

 

.....

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 


	2. Chapter 2

…..

 

“I don’t know how you talk me into these things.”

 

After a breakfast of dry cereal, canned fruit, and a vitamin that Maura insisted they both take, everything they could use and carry was rolled back into each bag. Though Maura wouldn’t guess how long it would last, cold water still ran through the taps, and they made use of it while they still could, using damp face cloths to give themselves makeshift spit baths. One last stop to the bathroom, and they were good to go. Jane pulled the chair out from under the door handle and they headed out into the early morning air. There didn’t seem to be a strategic advantage to having one always ahead of the other, so for now, Jane led the way.

 

“You said, ‘"We're not wasting time tomorrow trying to find this guy, right?’ and I said, ‘Maybe just part of the morning? It won’t take us out of our way,’ and you said, ‘Mmmm-hmmm. Okay. Zombs.’”

 

Jane stopped in her tracks. “I did not say…” she waved her hand, “anyway, it doesn’t matter. You caught me while I was falling asleep. You took advantage of me.”

 

“Believe me,” Maura replied, “when I take advantage of you, you’ll know it.” Mouth agape, Jane could only blink in disbelief, and Maura gently gave her a push. “Go on. It really isn’t out of our way.”

 

“Gee, you save my life one time and you think you can boss me around.” Jane looked over her shoulder and winked before resuming their journey.

 

Jane’s observation about the lack of infected rang true even in the daylight. Quietly but quickly, they made their way five streets over without seeing a single threat. The door to the station was open, and they approached with caution, knives at the ready, guns available at their sides. With a few simple hand signals, Jane darted in first, followed quickly by Maura, who took a defensive pose opposite Jane. Morning light began to stream through the windows, but there were still dark corners that promised danger if overlooked. In tandem, they ascended the stairs, knowing full well the elevator - if it even still worked - was a neon sign for trouble. The concrete stairs made their trip a silent one, and they soon found themselves on the 8th floor. There were 10 rooms in all, 5 on each side of the hallway. Based on where they were standing, the room where they’d seen the fire was at the end of the hall, facing the stairs. They knew not to rush though, and instead, took the time to clear the other rooms before reaching their destination. Jane nodded and they entered, every sense on high alert. It was almost a let down when the room came up empty.

 

“I don’t know whether to be happy or disappointed,” Jane admitted.

 

Maura crouched over the now-extinguished fire. Her hand hovering over the remains, she said, “Hard to tell when he might have left - the ashes are too cold. He did leave this, however.” She picked up a disposable lighter.

 

“Great, we can use that. Maybe I’ll chance it and start a fire of my own, even if it’s just to make coffee.”

 

Standing, Maura smiled. “Have the caffeine withdrawals not gone away yet?”

 

Jane grunted. As she began pulling open desk drawers, she said, “A cop’s desk is good for three things: alcohol, Tylenol, and junk food.” She victoriously held up a chocolate bar. “Bingo.” She broke it in half and handed it to Maura. “So what’s next, Navigator?”

 

Maura tucked away the chocolate. “I suppose we could try and figure out where he went.”

 

“Oh, no,” Jane said. “No. You were right; this wasn’t out of our way. But that’s it. I’m not wandering all over Zombieland looking for someone who may or may not want to be found. We cross paths again, maybe we’ll check it out. And I won’t answer any more questions about this when I’m falling asleep, understood?” Maura nodded solemnly. “Okay, so do you think we can push to Westborough today?”

 

Maura calculated the distance. “Sixteen miles? I think that’s ‘doable’,” she said.

 

“Why did you put air quotes around that? It’s a word.”

 

She wrinkled her nose. “It doesn’t sound like one, does it?”

 

“Come on…whatever you call a person who studies grammar.” Jane checked the hallway and signalled her approval.

 

“Grammarian,” Maura helpfully supplied, oblivious to Jane’s eyeroll and smile.

 

…..

 

Now on their third day, they had fallen into an easy routine: 'on the road' until 1pm, then stop for a bite to eat, recalibrate their route, and pick up the trail again. No mention was made of how they still based things on a schedule from their old lives, how the watches they still wore no longer had any real meaning.

 

They’d both been quiet since leaving the station, another routine that had developed since Boston - urban areas required their full attention, and they spoke only when necessary. Jane wasn't a fan of the quiet moments. It gave her mind time to wander and, when that happened, it always wandered to pessimistic places. What if they got to Westover and no one was there? What if Westover had no contingency plan? Where would they go then? What would they do? The cool October air didn't help matters. Jane pulled her sweater closer and made a mental note to look for something more at their next stop.

 

Her eyes constantly scanning the buildings and the area, she was happy to see things thinning out. Not only did it mean she could relax just a little, but also that the conversation would pick up again and pull Jane out of her thoughts.

 

"I have to pee," Maura said.

 

"Those are your first words after not talking for three hours?"

 

"Actually, I had to pee 10 minutes ago, but didn't say, despite the potential health hazards of holding my urine,” she said, as if proud of her accomplishments.

 

“Okay, well it looks clear.”

 

“What looks clear?”

 

“The area,” Jane said. “You can go around the corner and do your business.” This was received with a blank stare. “Your business of urinating?”

 

Maura’s mouth opened in shock. “I’m not peeing around the corner!”

 

Jane stopped and put her hands on her hips. “Maura, you peed in the sink in the morgue.”

 

“Because I had no other choice,” Maura protested. “But there are a number of choices here.”

 

“And around the corner is one of them.” The standoff lasted all of 15 seconds before Jane caved. “Fine,” she sighed dramatically, dropping her shoulders. “Let’s at least get up to that house.” She pointed to the solitary building about 100 yards away. “Unless you think the health hazard is too great.”

 

Maura’s eyes narrowed at the sarcasm. “I’ll hold.”

 

Though the house stood away from the road and apart from all the other homes, they approached with caution, one eye looking for movement around the house, and the other for movement within it. There was no other sound than their shoes on the gravel and their quiet breathing. Guns drawn, they crept up the stairs and to the door. Just like the police station in Natick, they made short work of clearing each room on the first floor, closing doors where they could, and pulling chairs into doorways where they couldn’t. The infected, though persistent in their pursuit, couldn’t navigate a stealth attack with obstacles in their way. It was a makeshift alarm, but it worked. The second floor was the same as the first, until they opened the door to the bedroom.

 

“Jesus!” Jane said, immediately stepping in front of Maura, knife extended.

 

“What is-”

 

‘It’, the rest of Maura’s question, was sitting in the corner, completely still. ‘It’ was an infected female, perched so formally on the chair, it looked like she was waiting for visitors. The skinny jeans and boy band tee-shirt would have made her look like an average teenage girl, had it not been for the dark swatch of blood and tissue splattered across the front. Her hair was pulled back in a braid and she looked meditative, with her eyes closed and a serene expression.

 

“She looks almost peaceful,” Maura whispered.

 

“Yeah, except for the really big chunk taken out of her neck.” Maura took a step towards her, and Jane grabbed her arm. “What are you doing?” she hissed lowly.

 

“Look at her, Jane. She’s clearly in some kind of stasis. We need to investigate closer.”

 

Jane knew arguing was a lost cause, so settled for laying down a few rules. “You stay right here until I get behind her. At the first sign of trouble, I’m putting her down. And no touching.”

 

“How can I gather any information if I don’t touch her?” Maura protested.

 

Jane answered with a glare, and took a position behind the girl, knife at the ready. At her nod, Maura crept forward. Her steps were cautious, but her eyes practically sparkled with curiosity. With the exception of Mark in the morgue, she hadn’t seen an infected up close. The few encounters they had escaping Boston were dodge and run events; they never got close enough to have to kill. Jane watched her closely. The smell might have made most people recoil, but Maura seemed to filter it away with the other odours she had come across in her career. Her eyes flitted back and forth on the body, cataloguing and filing away the information: the levels of decay, the yellowing of the skin, the darkening of the nails. She reached forward and was immediately stopped with a quiet command from Jane.

 

“No.” Maura looked up from her bent position, and Jane shook her head. “I said no touching.”

 

“Observation alone doesn’t tell me much. Whatever stasis she might be in needs to be studied.”

 

“Sure, by people in controlled situations behind protective glass or whatever,” Jane said. “You’re not risking yourself in the field just to get some piece of information that might not even be important.”

 

Maura rolled her eyes. “Really, Jane.”

 

Her fingertips pulled up the right eyelid, and in a heartbeat, the iris rolled up and the pupil dilated, staring directly into Maura’s eyes. Teeth were bared and Maura recoiled, falling backward onto the floor. The infected girl didn’t even have a chance to stand. In one simultaneous motion, Jane grabbed the t-shirt at the collar, and pushed the knife into the back of her brain. The mouth clamped shut then opened again for a final exhale of breath. Harshly, Jane pulled the knife out and released the handful of shirt in disgust. Without another word, she checked the rest of the room, throwing open the closet and even going so far as to check under the bed.

 

Stepping over a still prone Maura, she got to the door and bit out, “I’ll check the bathroom.” Only seconds had passed, but by the time she returned, the doctor has scrambled to her feet.

 

“Jane…”

 

“Don’t.” She looked anywhere but at Maura. “I’ll stand guard. Go.”

 

…..

 

“We’re making good time. We should make it to Westborough before 6. We’ll find a place to set up for the night.”

 

They were the first words Jane had spoken since leaving the house on the outskirts of Ashland. When Maura had come out of the bathroom, red-eyed and downcast, Jane had gruffly told her there were some supplies downstairs they could use, and proceeded down to the kitchen, leaving Maura alone. They ate lunch in silence, and as soon as they were finished, Jane packed up what they were taking, and waited by the front door. The 3 hour walk along the empty train tracks had been taken without conversation, and now they found themselves about an hour outside of Westborough. Satisfied that the open area was clear, she slipped off her backpack and pulled out the map.

 

“I don’t want to get too far in. Let’s try to find something close to the I-90. I know I said I didn’t want to take the interstate, but we might not have much of a choice from here.”

 

“Are you going to be mad at me the entire way?” If it was meant to be a challenge, the defeated tone made it sound like anything but.

 

Jane stopped and wiped the back of her arm across her forehead. “I’m not mad, Maura. Is that what you think? That I’m mad?”

 

“You wouldn’t say a word to me after…what happened. You wouldn’t even look at me.”

 

“Because I’m scared, okay? I’m so fucking scared of losing you. I can’t look at you because I don’t want to be reminded that if I lose you, that’s it for me. Do you get it?”

 

“You’re not going to lose me, Jane.”

 

“Okay, first, you can’t make that promise, so don’t.” Jane began pacing over the railroad ties. “Second, you don’t listen. I tell you something, but you go and do the exact opposite. Am I just supposed to stand there and say, ‘Yes, please, Maura, go and do that incredibly dangerous thing, just because you’re curious and that’s one of the things I love about you’?” She roughly brushed away the tears. “I’m a mess.”

 

Maura softly stepped in front of Jane. Taking her hands, she kissed the palms tenderly. “You’re not a mess. You’re beautiful.” Jane snorted, but Maura was having none of it. “You’re brave and you’re wonderful and you’re my detective.” With each descriptor, Maura kissed a different part of Jane’s face - her forehead, her chin, her cheek. “And I love all those things about you.”

 

Her lips finally reached Jane’s and they both revelled in the sensation. They hadn’t spoken much about what happened in the morgue, about their declarations of love, both in words and in actions. Now outside the safety of the lab, they didn’t seem to have time to do much more than survive and plan, so this kiss, though not their first, seemed brand new. Jane slid her arms around Maura’s waist and brought their bodies flush together. She felt Maura’s hands slip under her hoodie and grip the thin t-shirt underneath. The heat between them burned through the barrier of clothes, and despite the surroundings and the situation, they were precariously close to giving in to their need. Jane pulled back, drawing a displeased moan from Maura. She couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“Really? Right here on the tracks?”

 

As if coming out of a daze, Maura looked around. “Right. I suppose you have a point.” Jane’s rightness didn’t stop Maura from leaning up for another kiss. Against soft, willing lips, she asked, “How fast can we make it to Westborough?”

 

…..

  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

…..

 

It was 5:40 when they saw the sign welcoming them to Westborough. The autumn sun was beginning to set, and Jane was happy to see a small house in the distance. Putting her arm around Maura, they walked slowly up the long drive, quiet and content in each other’s company. On any other day, they would have looked like a couple out for their evening stroll, lost in themselves.

 

The home was small enough that it only took a few minutes to clear, and they fortified the two locked exits with chairs before setting up camp in the upstairs bedroom. As Jane slid a chair under the door knob, she stepped back and shrugged.

 

“Kind of seems like overkill now that we have an idea of what gets the zombs moving.”

 

Maura placed the cans from downstairs on the bedside table, alongside two bottles of water. “I’m not sure we know exactly what gets them moving.”

 

“It looks like we get them moving,” Jane said, tossing a blanket over the bare curtain rod.

 

“Can we have a small fire?” Maura asked. “It just gets so dark.”

 

They hadn’t really thought of starting a fire before, for fear of it drawing attention from the infected. Or, as Jane had thought then, from the living, too. Tonight was their first night outside of a populated area, and Jane considered the idea.

 

“Okay,” she agreed at last. “But just a small one. Where’s the best place to put it?”

 

Maura glanced around in the dim room. “In the corner, closest to the window. We’ll have to open it in order to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.”

 

“Is there a way to do this without setting the whole place on fire?”

 

“Not really,” Maura admitted. “You saw the damage left behind by our stranger. Oh!” Her face lit up. “I saw a stainless steel pot in the kitchen. It would be perfect.”

 

“One stainless steel pot coming up. Anything else from down there we might need?”

 

“I can’t think of anything.”

 

“Okay. See if there’s anything here we can start a fire with,” Jane said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

 

To her word, she was gone less than a minute, the size of the house making her task easy and quick. When she entered the room, she saw Maura breaking up some wooden hangers with ferocious intensity.

 

“Look at you go,” Jane praised.

 

Maura looked up and grinned. “It’s quite satisfying. I found some old newspapers in the closet; we won’t need much.”

 

“And look what I found.” She held up not only the pot she was sent to find, but a smaller version, too. “And 2 bowls. We’re going to eat like kings.”

 

Maura smiled. “Let’s start by seeing if we can get the fire going before we plan the buffet.”

 

Jane set the pot in the corner and as per Maura’s direction, began taking some of the paper and rolling it tightly. Maura pushed all but one of the rolls into the bottom of the pot, using the last one to light them all. Quickly, she started to add the hanger pieces, one by one, until the pot was almost full. She rolled back on her heels and admired her handiwork.

 

“That should do it for now,” she said. “We’ll have to watch to make sure it doesn’t go out, but I wouldn’t want to make it any bigger than that.”

 

Jane helped her to her feet and softly placed a kiss on her lips. “Good job. Have I told you how much better Spam is when you fry it?”

 

…..

 

They didn’t have Spam, much to Maura’s relief. Instead, they emptied a soup can into the smaller pot, added some water, and let it sit precariously over the makeshift fire. It took longer than normal to heat up, but the thought of a hot meal gave them the patience to wait. In the meantime, Jane did a quick survey of the outside area.

 

“So if that zomb back in Ashland didn’t give you an idea of what motivates them, what did it tell you?”

 

Maura carefully stirred the soup and pondered the question. “I’m not sure. We didn’t really have much time with… it to make a hypothesis.”

 

“Why do you think it was just sitting there?” Jane asked. “Does that explain why we haven’t seen any? Are they just sort of waiting for us to walk by and wake them up?” Jane shivered at the thought. “That’s a little creepy.”

 

“Creepier than infected corpses mindlessly trying to kill you?”

 

Jane narrowed her eyes, considering her options. “Yeah, I think so. I don’t like the idea of them lurking in some kind of ‘off’ mode until we come along. It’s like someone jumping out and yelling ‘Surprise!’ Except it’s ‘Surprise! I’m going to eat you!’”

 

Shaking her head in amusement, Maura said, “Well, speaking of eating, the soup’s finished.”

 

They sat on the bed and savoured their first warm meal since leaving the morgue. There was something inexplicably satisfying about having hot food, and both women ate in contented silence. The fire, though small, gave them an extra sense of security. Finishing up and putting her bowl to the side, Jane gestured towards the flames.

 

“I’m glad we decided to have one. It’s nice.”

 

Maura murmured her agreement, and Jane watched her add a few more pieces to the fire. “I know you’re not much of a tea drinker, but I saw cups and tea bags downstairs if you want.”

 

“No,” Jane waved away the offer with a smile. “You didn’t see any instant coffee, did you?”

 

Maura made a face. “If I had, I’d take a chance with hives and tell you ‘no’.”

 

“Aww, you miss your Coffee-Matic 3000 Espresso Rocket Maker, don’t you?” Maura answered the playful teasing with a glare and a pinch and Jane laughed. Pulling her closer, she promised, “When this is all over, I’m going to buy you the biggest hand-pressed, water-filtered, fancy-schmanciest cup of coffee you ever had.”

 

“That sounds wonderful.”

 

They were quiet for a long time when Jane said, “You never asked me what it was like.”

 

The hand that was idly stroking up and down Jane’s forearm stopped. “What was what like?”

 

Jane reverently kissed the top of Maura’s head, knowing full well she understood. “Me. Turning into one of them. A zomb.” She tried to inject some humour with the word.

 

“There’s nothing to ask,” Maura replied flatly. “The science is in how it happens and how we make it stop.”

 

“So there’s no scientific interest in how it felt?”

 

“Feelings aren’t science.” Maura stood up abruptly and went to the fire, where she added some more kindling. “I don’t want to talk about this, Jane.”

 

Jane rolled off the bed and wrapped her arms around Maura, silently soothing her in the warm embrace. "I'm sorry," she whispered between light kisses. "I shouldn't have brought it up. You don't ever have to talk about it if you don't want."

 

Maura turned and slipped her arms tightly around Jane's waist. With her head on her heart, Maura said, "I _should_ talk about it, and I know I need to, but not right now, okay?"

 

"It's more than okay."

 

.....

 

Once they cleaned up the small after dinner mess, they got comfortable on the bed again, Maura tucked possessively into Jane's side. The flickering flames had lulled them into a light sleep, and Jane was jolted awake by a loud cracking sound. Maura, too, was immediately alert.

 

It only took Jane a split second to put everything in perspective. "Rain," she said.

 

They waited for the flash of lightning, then Maura began counting quietly. She got up to 12 before the thunder kicked in. "Just over 2 miles away," she said.

 

"Does that really work?" Jane asked. "I thought it was just something Pop made up when we were kids."

 

Maura nodded. "Seconds divided by 5. It's based on the principle that light travels faster than sound, particularly through the atmosphere. 186,291 miles per second versus 1,088 feet per second."

 

"Counting and dividing does seem a hell of a lot easier." Jane stood and walked across to the window. Peering through a crack in the blanket, she took stock of their surroundings, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Can you hand me the scope?"

 

Maura broke some more hangers for the dwindling fire, then pulled the scope out of the bag. "Do you see something?"

 

"In this? I'd be lucky to see my hand in front of my face."

 

Maura joined her at the window. "I suppose we've been lucky to have gone three days without rain. October is one of the wettest months in Massachusetts, and the closer we get to Worcester, rain will be even more likely. What does this mean for tomorrow?"

 

Jane shrugged. Glancing at her watch, she said, "It's only 11 now. This'll probably clear up by morning. The ground will be a mess, but we were going to take the interstate anyway. Should be easy going." She swept the scope across one more time and froze. "Son of a bitch."

 

"What is it?" Maura asked, somewhat alarmed. Jane simply handed her the scope and chuckled. Bringing the lens up to her eye, it didn’t take long for her to see what had made Jane shake her head. Even in the blanket of rain, the high-powered Mark 6 easily picked out the tiny lick of flame over 200 yards away. “Is he…”

 

“In a hydraulic bucket lift?” Jane finished for her. “Yes. Yes, he is.”

 

“How in the world..?”

 

“Looks like the electric company was going about their business when the shit hit the fan. He’s lucky it’s an open bucket, or he’d be sitting in a bathtub right now.”

 

“I’m surprised he’d start a fire. Not only does the weather make it difficult, but he runs the risk of being seen.”

 

“He’s smart though,” Jane said. “He keeps picking a high spot where most people - or zombs - can’t see him. And he’s got something that’s protecting him from the rain. See the void?” Maura leaned closer to the glass. “Use this,” Jane directed, showing her the range dial. “I’ll give the ol’ man credit. He was serious about his personal collection.”

 

“I see it now,” Maura said. “Yes, it’s hard to tell, but he’s cobbled together some kind of wind block.

 

“Bet the poor bastard’s cold, though.”

 

“Maybe that’s another reason why he started the fire.”

 

“Or maybe he was just really dying for a cup of instant coffee.”

 

Maura ignored the bait. “It doesn’t sound like the storm is letting up at all. Why don’t you sleep and I’ll take the first shift tonight?”

 

She was going to protest, but a yawn suddenly overtook her. “Guess that’s a ‘yes’,” she replied. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

 

“How different is it from taking the second shift?” The question was clearly rhetorical one, and Jane answered with a nod. “And since we’ll most likely be leaving later than usual tomorrow, let’s try to get some extra sleep. How about an hour each?”

 

“Five hours instead of four? It’s almost like sleeping in,” Jane sighed dreamily.

 

Maura stepped away from the window and tugged Jane to the bed. “I found socks in the top drawer when you were downstairs,” she said, slipping off Jane’s shoes. She carefully rolled the old socks down her calf and over her ankle until Jane wiggled them off with her toes. Maura gently squeezed her feet and Jane sighed in contentment.

 

“You know, before all this, I hated people touching my feet.” Maura looked up from her kneeling position and smiled. “Actually, I still hate people touching my feet. But you’re okay.”

 

Maura pulled the new socks up with an amused smirk and watched Jane’s eyes darken when her fingers grazed behind her knees. The jeans made it impossible to venture any higher, so with a pout, she slid her hands down and tapped Jane’s feet. “Into bed.”

 

Jane grumbled her way under the covers. “I always knew you’d be bossy in the bedroom.”

 

“Did you?” She bent over and took Jane’s bottom lip between her teeth. “You have no idea. But you’d better go to sleep before I enlighten you.”

 

“You expect me to go to sleep now??”

 

…..

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

1770/9250

 

Quietly, to keep from waking Jane, Maura pulled the small bedside table to the window. There was just enough room for her to sit and for her gun to lay beside her. Resting her head against the window frame, she let the rain’s soft rhythm lull her into a comforting feeling. They had run out of wood, so the fire was down to embers, but Maura didn't mind. She had appreciated it as long as it lasted.

 

She smiled at the thought; it seemed to be a good motto for whatever this new life was. Glancing at the snoring detective, her smile became melancholic. She thought of Jane's comment, how she hadn't asked what it felt like to transform into one of the infected. How could she? How could she tell her that the scientist should be insanely curious at the process, but that the woman in love wasn't ready to hear it?

 

She lifted the scope, hoping for any kind of distraction. She got her wish in a way she never expected- though the storm had died down, the stray flash of lightning would stubbornly show itself, and in this last gasp of light, Maura caught a glimpse of the man in the hydraulic bucket.

 

"Oh my God."

 

.....

 

"Mmmm? Whasstheproblem?" Jane mumbled from the depths of sleep. Almost immediately, she sat upright and reached for her gun.

 

"No, no, it's okay," Maura soothed. "There's nothing wrong."

 

Jane waited for her heart to slow down before blinking hard and looking around. "Was that 5 hours already?"

 

"Three and a half. I'm sorry I woke you. I just...

 

Rubbing her eyes, Jane shook her head. "It's okay. Are _you_ okay?"

 

"I want to tell you something, but before you call me crazy, please give some consideration to what I’m about to say.”

 

"Maura, it's 2 in the morning. This couldn't wait?"

 

"I saw Barry."

 

The comment seemed so random that Jane had to ask, "Say again?"

 

Maura inhaled deeply and slowly. "I saw Detective Frost. In the hydraulic lift. He's the man in the bucket."

 

The description and the fact that she wasn't quite awake made Jane laugh. The giddiness quickly faded away when she saw Maura's expression. "So...I'm not having a weird dream."

 

"No."

 

"And you're not having a weird dream."

 

"Jane..." Maura replied, taking her hands.

 

She looked around, as if trying to get her bearings. "How can you be sure? I could barely see two feet in front of me."

 

"But we saw the fire with our scope," Maura reminded her. "And I caught a good look when the lightning struck. It's him, Jane."

 

"No. How?" she asked again. "Why would he be here now? He should have a good month head start on us since things went down."

 

"We're a month behind because 'things went down' with us, too. Maybe he ran into his own obstacles."

 

Jane looked towards the window. "I want to believe it," she whispered, quickly glancing at Maura then back to the window. "But I don't know if I can."

 

Maura nodded. Stroking Jane's hands, she said, "I understand. There's a part of me that wondered if I was just seeing what I wanted to see. But if you'll let me be the detective for a minute..." Jane tipped her head, encouraging Maura to continue. "You said it yourself: the reason we went through Natick is because of your familiarity with it. You said it was your first case with Barry. If you chose that route, don't you think he might have done the same, for the very same reason?" Jane acknowledged the question with a shrug. "Okay," Maura continued, "how about this - I'd been to the Ashland police station before today. I was called by their medical examiner, who thought one of his cases bore a striking resemblance to a cold case in Boston. I brought Barry with me."

 

Jane frowned. 'Where was I?"

 

"That was the week you took your mother to Atlantic City."

 

She groaned and tilted her head back. "Oh god, that was a nightmare." A memory of her mother came to mind, though not of the holiday, but of them standing shoulder to shoulder as Angela taught her how to make gnocchi. She teared up at the image. "And I would do it all over again if I could."

 

Kissing the inside of Jane's wrists, Maura softly said, "I know you would."

 

Jane shook away the melancholy. "Anyway... Frost. You brought him to Ashland."

 

"It was in the pile of cold cases you gave him when he joined Homicide. One of the first things he did was ask to go over all the forensic evidence together. We spent several lunches looking at every case, so when I got the call from Ashland, I knew to take him along. "

 

Jane closed her eyes and smiled. "I never gave him enough credit," she said. "He was a damn good detective."

 

"Is," Maura corrected. "I swear to you, Jane, that man is Barry Frost."

 

She drew in a long, calming breath through her nose. "Okay. I'm still not 100% convinced, but okay." She went to the window and pushed away the edge of the blanket to look out into the darkness. She knew she wouldn't be able to see anything at that distance, but part of her didn't even want to, didn't want to find out that Maura was wrong, that she had been fooled by the storm and the dark and the distance. It was almost as if Maura knew her thoughts, because she suddenly felt a warmth by her side. She looked into hazel eyes that gently encouraged her, then to the hand that held out the scope.

 

"I can't tell," Jane said, after spending the better part of 5 minutes peering through the lens. "The storm's picked back up. Dammit!"

 

Maura softly touched her arm. "All it means is that he's not going anywhere tonight. We can wait for the weather to clear."

 

Jane nodded reluctantly. "Why don't you get some rest? I'm not going to be able to sleep now."

 

"I'm sorry. I should have-"

 

Jane stopped her with a kiss. "You did exactly what I would've wanted you to." She kissed her again, holding the moment. "It still feels weird to do that."

 

"What? Kiss me?"

 

"Yeah." Maura's eyes glanced downward, and Jane tipped her chin up with gentle tips. "To the surprise of no one, I said that all wrong." She waited for a smile to appear before continuing. "I mean 'weird', like, I can do that now and you want to kiss me back. That still doesn't sound right," she lamented.

 

Now it was Maura's turn to lean in for a kiss. "It sounds perfect. Now put me to bed." Jane wagged her eyebrows. "To sleep," Maura said, laughing.

 

"I'm completely not ready for the next step," Jane admitted, "but it better be soon."

 

.....

 

The morning sun peeked over the horizon, greeting her with a blinding brightness. As it seemed after every storm, the world felt new and fresh and it was almost easy to forget everything else. Almost. Jane squinted into the distance and soon realized the problem - Frost or Not Frost was camped between them and the rising sun. She could barely make out a shape, let alone a single identifying feature in the bright yellow light.

 

"Shit!" she whispered.

 

Living with the uncertainty of safety long before they left Boston, they never slept too deeply, so even the soft expletive woke Maura. "What is it?"

 

Jane turned from the window. "I've been trying to get a good look at the guy all morning, but the stupid sun is in my way."

 

'Stupid sun," Maura agreed absently, stretching herself languidly across the bed. "I told you; it's him."

 

"I know, I know, but it's like the longer it takes me to see for myself, the less I believe it. Besides, it's too dangerous to believe too much."

 

Maura sat up and yawned. "What do you mean, 'too dangerous'?"

 

"I just mean, we have to keep our focus, and remember that zombs aren’t the only risk. People do desperate things when they have to."

 

"We haven't met a single person yet."

 

"How about the crew at the station?" Jane reminded her. "Sure, they kept to themselves, but we had to give up half our weapons. We’re lucky they didn’t want more. I'm just saying, hope can be a dangerous thing."

 

Maura padded over to the window and sat in the small space beside Jane on the table. “I understand. I do.” She kissed the soft spot under Jane’s ear. “We’ve lost so much already. But hope is what kept me moving forward when I thought I’d lost the most important thing in my life.” Jane bashfully bowed her head. “It’s kept the both of us going this long. Why else are we headed towards Westover if not because of hope?”

 

“I guess,” Jane sighed, pushing the blanket away from the window, letting a thick band of light into the room. “I just…”

 

“You just need to see for yourself,” Maura finished. “I know. Maybe we’ll get that chance today. Hopefully.”

 

Jane smiled at how quickly Maura could turn around her doubts. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

 

Maura pretended to consider the question. “I am pretty amazing, aren’t I?”

 

“And still, after all this time, so humble!”

 

Maura kissed Jane again, then slipped off the table. “Do I have time to wash up before we go? We can always eat on the way.”

 

Jane shielded the scope as best she could and looked into the distance. “I think so, yeah. Looks like he’s just moving around now.”

 

“Good. Maybe we can make up some of the gap before he leaves. I won’t be a minute.”

 

“Be careful.”

 

She watched Maura cross the hallway to the bathroom, and kept one ear in that direction while she looked out the window again. The world was bathed in sunlight and it promised to be a beautiful day. The stranger was still lost in the brightness, casting his identity in shadow. She tried not to think what she’d do if it _did_ turn out to be Frost. She tried even harder not to think what she’d do if it didn’t.

 

…..

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

…..

 

Though they made sure to leave the house while the hydraulic lift was still occupied, they soon found there would be more obstacles to face than time. For one thing, despite the warm sun, the ground was wet and made for treacherous walking. They also realized there was no way to get the man’s attention other than catching up to him. Shouting to him or making noise of any kind only risked bringing unwanted attention to themselves - from both the living and dead. The best they could do was trudge along and hope to close the distance.

 

They reached the lift and Jane squinted upwards. "Let me take a look, see if he left anything. Get a better view of the terrain, too."

 

"Okay. Be careful."

 

Maura stood guard while Jane shimmied up the metal arm. She made the 10 foot climb with ease and swung her leg over the railing. There wasn't much to show someone had spent the night, beyond the fire ashes, an empty snack container, and an unopened bottle of water.

 

"He must have taken the can with him," Jane called down.

 

“That’s why I insisted we take the pot," Maura said. "It's heavy, but useful."

 

Jane slid down the arm and dropped the last two feet. "And since you don't have to carry it..." Her wink cut off any protest. "He was nice enough to leave some water, but he ate these." She looked at the package and wrinkled her nose. "Probably for the best. 'Dried peas & kale'. If that doesn't scream 'dystopia', I don't know what does. Hey!"

 

Maura grabbed the bag out of her hand, oblivious to her complaint. "It's Frost. I'm completely certain now."

 

"Really." Jane's voice was laced with sarcasm and amusement.

 

"Remember those lunches I told you about?"

 

"For the cold cases?"

 

"Yes. One of the first things I noticed was how much he liked to snack on things. All incredibly unhealthy things, of course."

 

"Of course."

 

"So I told him, in no uncertain terms, that if he was going to be your partner, I expected him to be more mindful of his diet."

 

Jane's expression softened. "Aww, you were looking out for me even then?"

 

"I've always been looking out for you," Maura said. "Anyway, I brought this exact snack to one of our lunches and encouraged him to try it. He loved it."

 

"You sure he didn't just say that to, you know..." She nudged Maura with an elbow.

 

Maura's mouth dropped. "He was never like that!" She shook her head, clearly unamused by Jane's humour. "That's how I found out we shared a love for food. We even went to _Tristan’s_ together."

 

"That pretentious French restaurant in Southie? And where was I when you were doing all these things without me?"

 

Maura patted Jane's arm. "I didn't mean to have a life without you."

 

Jane scowled. "Now you're patronizing me."

 

"Yes, I am."

 

Taking the package back, Jane said, "So he ate these, huh?"

 

Maura nodded. "And they were only sold at two stores in the Boston area. That's how I'm certain it's him."

 

"I'm guessing you took him there, too."

 

Maura cupped Jane's chin and kissed her, quick and hard. "You're adorable when you're jealous. Now, if you're finished pouting, we're wasting valuable time."

 

…..

 

“I don’t think we’re catching up at all,” Maura lamented, as the clock ticked past noon.

 

“It’s the ground,” Jane replied, breathing heavily. “It’s too damn wet. Let’s try and get up to the interstate. He’s walking parallel to it, so we can keep him in sight.”

 

Saving their energy for the trek, they didn’t speak again until they saw the asphalt. Jane bent over at the waist and Maura reached into her bag for water. She waited until Maura was finished, then gratefully accepted the bottle. Rivulets dripped down her chin, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. Waving away the protein bar Maura offered, Jane looked around.

 

“Everyone had the same idea,” she said. As far as the eye could see, cars lined the freeway - some bumper-to-bumper, some askew - and all unmoving in the silent traffic jam. “Okay, this is creepy.”

 

Maura, too, looked unsettled. “I’m not sure this is such a good idea, Jane.”

 

“It’s okay,” she replied, unaware she had lowered her voice to a whisper. “We’ll just walk on the shoulder. Can’t be more than 3 or 4 miles from Worcester. An hour and a half at the most. We should be fine.”

 

Jane’s prediction held true for 30 minutes. They had silently made their way along the road, senses on high alert, hearts racing, when Maura’s foot slipped on the soft shoulder and she reached out to stop herself. An abandoned SUV ended up being her support, and her hand braced against the cool metal, promptly setting off the car alarm. Maura jumped back in fright, and Jane covered her ears from the high pitched wail.

 

“Who sets their car alarm in the middle of a zombie apocalypse?” Jane gritted out.

 

Hand at her throat, Maura caught her breath for the briefest of moments before the alarm became the least of their concerns. “Jane.”

 

Her eyes darted to and fro, and she didn’t have to repeat the name. Jane, too, realized what the alarm had done. As if waking from a slumber, the infected began to rise. From the pavement between vehicles. From the long grass on either side of the road. One or two at a time, they stood and shook off their inertia, mindlessly drawn to the cause of their wakeful state. Whipping her head around, Jane scoured the area for an escape.

 

“There!” she pointed towards a house in the distance. “Can’t be more than a half a mile. We can make it.”

 

“Then what?” Maura asked, unsheathing her knife.

 

“Then we figure it out,” Jane replied. “Let’s go!”

 

Had they been in Boston, and it had been a year ago, the run wouldn’t have been anything more than their usual morning trip, prefaced by an exaggerated complaint from Jane, and a patient yet determined amount of encouragement from Maura. But this was not a casual jog or an excuse for two women who were carefully ignoring their feelings for each other to spend time together. They ran not for the companionship, but literally, for their lives. Lungs burned and hearts raced as the landscape conspired against them, the mud and water pulling at their feet and eating up valuable time. They couldn’t see how many were following them; they didn’t dare take the time to look. The house didn’t seem to be getting closer fast enough, even for Jane’s long stride and Maura’s endurance. Maura tripped, and her exclamation made Jane stumble as she turned abruptly.

 

“Jane!”

 

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you,” Jane said, sliding her hand into Maura’s. “Can you stand?”

 

“I’ll fly if I have to,” Maura vowed, though she winced when she put weight on her right foot.

 

“And I’ll carry you if I have to,” Jane replied, hooking Maura’s arm around her neck, and slipping hers around the blonde’s waist. “We’re so close, Maura.”

 

The question of what they were going to do once they got there was partially answered when the door opened and a woman gestured them inside. “Get in. Quick!”

 

The shock of seeing a live person was outweighed by the sound of the death march behind them, and they eagerly ran into the house. The door slammed shut and they collapsed onto the floor.

 

“Stay down,” the woman said, pointing to the floor with a butcher's knife.

 

Obeying more out of necessity than agreement, both Jane and Maura rolled onto their backs as much as the bags would allow, and tried to catch their breath. Jane’s eyes strained to adjust to the room’s darkness. Where they had always put up blankets to cover the windows, here, someone had taken the time to actually board them up. A shaft of light came from the steps leading to the second floor, and there was the warm glow of a small fire in the corner. Huddled around it were two men, and the woman joined them. Words seemed to be shared, because one of the men quickly disappeared up the stairs. A booming sound soon followed.

 

“Molotov Cocktail,” the woman whispered, seeing Jane’s alarm. “Distraction. They won’t go far, but it’ll stop them from banging on the house.”

 

Jane looked over to Maura. “How are you doing?” she said, gesturing to the injured ankle.

 

“Better than I thought.” Reaching into the side pocket of the bag, she pulled out a medicine bottle and the water. “Ibuprofen will ease the swelling. I’ll be fine.”

 

The noise from outside slowly abated and the entire room breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“That was good thinking,” Jane said, her voice still low.

 

“What happened out there?” the woman asked.

 

Shifting to sit cross-legged, Jane replied, “We were walking along the road when one of the car alarms went off.”

 

The man in the corner shook his head. “Well, the bright side is, they’ll probably hear it from here and shuffle back to the interstate.”

 

“Thank you so much for your help,” Maura said. “It was a relief to see you open the door.”

 

“Christine,” the woman replied. “My husband, Bill. My brother Dave’s the one who went upstairs.”

 

“Jane,” the detective said, “and Maura.”

 

“You from Worcester?” Bill asked.

 

“Boston,” Jane corrected.

 

He snorted. “Guessing it’s all gone to shit if you’re making your way out here on foot.”

 

Jane conceded the point with a shrug. “You could say that.”

 

“So are you off to Worcester?”

 

"Westover. The Air Force base."

 

Christine quietly acknowledged her brother coming down the stairs. "How does it look?"

 

Shrugging, he sat on the couch, eyeing Jane and Maura. "About 20 of 'em. But plenty took the bait, so they're about 60 yards that way." He thumbed towards the east.

 

"Hell of an arm," Jane praised.

 

He smiled. "Played for Harvard back in the day. Dave Prenella."

 

"Jane Rizzoli."

 

"Maura Isles."

 

"Nice to meet you both. I mean, you know..." He waved around the room. "Circumstances being what they are."

 

Jane nodded. "How long will they stay distracted?"

 

"Oh, once they wander off, they're off," Dave replied. "One time, me and Bill raided some of the cars and ran into pretty much the same problem you did."

 

"A fuckin' group of squawkin' birds woke ‘em up," Bill interrupted.

 

"We were halfway back with hell on our heels when we see this deer, just standing in the field, probably wondering what the hell these two guys were doing, running for their lives. Then the deer took off. That's when we figured it out. The ghouls got distracted and started going for the deer. We thought they would turn around when they realized they weren't catching up to the animal, but it never happened."

 

"They don't have the sense of awareness we do," Maura explained. "The infected, I mean."

 

"So you've stayed here the whole time?" Jane asked.

 

"We thought we'd be safe out here," Christine said. "Nobody was really saying anything about what was happening. When we finally found out how bad it was, we thought someone would come for us, you know? The National Guard or the Army or something."

 

"Fuckin' government," Bill spat. "Don't know why you're botherin' with Westover. They're fuckin' long gone."

 

Maura looked at Jane, then back to Bill. "How do you know?"

 

"Because they'd be the first ones to fuck off."

 

"Well, we still have to try," Jane said, standing. She offered her hand to Maura and helped her to her feet. "You sure you're okay?"

 

"It's tender, but I can put weight on it."

 

Jane turned back to Dave and asked, "You think it's safe to go out there?"

 

He looked surprised, but shrugged. "The back door's your best bet. I threw the bottle in the opposite direction. Gotta say, I'm surprised you'd want to get back on the road so soon. I figured you'd wanna stay for the night anyway."

 

Jane pretended not to notice the glare that Bill shot his brother-in-law. "Would make sense, wouldn't it? But once I stop, it takes forever to get me going again, and she hates that." She flashed a smile at Maura.

 

"I don't suppose... you could leave us something, could you?" Christine asked, nervously tapping the knife against her thigh. "It's been almost a week since we had anything other than crackers and nuts."

 

"Of course," Maura replied, sliding off the bag onto the floor.

 

As she began to dig through it, Bill said, "Leave the bag." His voice was low and flat, and the oxygen seemed to leave the room.

 

Maura looked up at Jane who gave an imperceptible nod. "Let me just get the can opener."

 

"You won't need it." He stood and drew a weapon. Pointing it at Maura, he turned his attention to Jane. "Yours, too."

 

"Jesus, Bill," Dave whispered from the couch.

 

"Shut up."

 

The brother's distraction gave Jane enough time to pull her gun. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maura inch away. "You get one," she said.

 

The gun didn't seem to phase him, because he shook his head. "Both, and you get to leave with that weapon."

 

"Weapons," Maura corrected, pointing hers at Bill.

 

"Please," Christine pleaded. "We’re so hungry."

 

"And that's why I don't have a problem leaving you one," Jane replied.

 

"But you can survive! We're barely existing. You've made it so far."

 

Jane knew the woman didn't realize how right she was, and it was that knowledge that gave her the conviction to say, "And that's why we're taking one bag and walking out that door."

 

Bill waved the gun back and forth between Jane and Maura. "No."

 

"I'm a police officer, Bill."

 

He snorted. "You think the law matters now?”

 

"No," Jane replied, "but I'm trained to use a gun. What do you think your chances are in a dark room against a cop?"

 

"I'll take those chances."

 

In the blink of an eye, chaos erupted. As Bill swung his weapon toward Jane, Dave bolted from the couch and knocked his arm aside, discharging the gun. Temporarily deafened by the blast, Jane didn't hear Christine's panicked scream as she lunged forward, knife flashing. A second gun shot sounded like it was fired under water, and Christine dropped to the floor in a heap. Jane looked at Maura who stood shell shocked, gun still in hand. Bill shrugged off his brother-in-law, throwing him to the ground, but his efforts were in vain - before he could raise the weapon, Jane had squeezed off two rounds. He fell back into the small group of candles, and suddenly, the room ignited. Flames licked up the side of the wall, and curtains that had been pushed aside to board the windows were now alive with fire.

 

Dave was halfway to the door with Maura's bag when Jane shouted, "Freeze!!"

 

He dropped the bag and slowly raised his hands as he turned. "I had no idea," he said, eyes frantically darting from Jane to his sister to Bill then back to Jane. "I didn't know."

 

Levelling her weapon at him, she drew in long breaths through her nose. They seemed to stand like this for an eternity until the heat and the flames forced her into action. With a quick glance to the floor, she reached down and picked up Bill's gun.

 

"Out the front door," she told him, sliding the weapon along the floor.

 

He bent and cautiously picked it up. "Thank you."

 

"And the bag. Go before I change my mind."

 

Nodding gratefully, he slung the pack over his shoulders and slowly opened the door. "Fuck!" he said, slamming it shut. "They're everywhere!"

 

"Which is why you're going out the front," Jane coolly replied.

 

"I'm your decoy??"

 

"You follow us, and I'll shoot you. Your choice." He didn't need to be told twice. With a deep breath, he flung the door open and ran.  Quickly, Jane turned to Maura, who was still standing in a daze. "Maura. Maura!" she shook her by the shoulders. "We have to go!" Their eyes met and Jane's presence seemed to snap the blonde out of her shock.

 

"Yes."

 

Tugging her by the hand, Jane ran into the kitchen. The air was a welcome relief from the smoke, and she silently thanked a deity that the back door wasn't barricaded.

 

"Wait!" Maura said. "My bag."

 

"Forget it," Jane replied. "We have to go now!" Trembling hands unbolted the lock, but before she opened the door, she said, "Do you remember seeing the blue house?" Maura's expression was blank and Jane tried again, bringing all of her police experience to the fore. "Two-storey blue house with a black roof. White door. We saw it before the alarm went off."

 

Maura nodded. "With the white fence."

 

Jane remembered the joke she had made about white picket fences and how the zombie apocalypse probably didn't fit into the homeowner's plans. "Yes.  We need to get there. It can't be more than a mile up the road. That's where we're going." Maura still looked shell-shocked, and Jane gently took her hands. "We don't have much time," she said, acknowledging the fire that was crawling its way into the kitchen. "I need you here with me, okay?" Maura nodded again. "Where are we going?"

 

Maura closed her eyes. "Blue house about a mile up the road," she recited.

 

"Good." She glanced down at Maura's feet. "Can you do it?"

 

"Try and stop me."

 

Her comment was a welcome bit of relief. "That's my girl." She put her hand on the doorknob and gave Maura one final look. "Ready?"

 

.....

  
  


There was something in the frantic way Maura ran that worried Jane, but she pushed it to the side to focus on their surroundings. The terrain had gotten steeper the farther west from Boston they went, and coupled with the soggy ground, it made for hard travelling. All this time, they’d avoided the interstate to keep from being exposed out in the open. But, they avoided the trees, too, for fear of getting caught in the dense brush. Fortunately, the blue house only touched the tree line. They were less than 50 yards away, but even with an injured ankle, Maura wasn’t slowing down at all.

 

“Wait. Wait!” Jane called out as Maura made a beeline for the house. “Maura, wait!” She was almost at the door when Jane caught up to her. Grabbing her arm, she spun her around. Hard words caught in her throat when she saw Maura’s face. As a cop, having seen some of the worst humanity could offer, she knew the signs of traumatic shock. Sweat pasted Maura’s hair to her face, but her skin was cool to the touch, and her eyes seemed to focus on nothing. Jane brushed back the blonde hair and whispered, “I just have to check inside, okay? Stay here and I’ll be right back, okay?” She tried to help her sit on the worn porch, but Maura gripped her wrist.

 

“No.”

 

“Shhh, I promise. Look at me.” She waited until she had Maura’s attention. “I promise.” Maura nodded blankly and sat. Jane looked off into the distance, the burning house a speck of flame on the horizon. She bent down and touched Maura’s knee. “I’ll be right back,” she said again.

 

Standing, she tried to get a look inside the house through a window, but seeing nothing, she tentatively turned the door knob. Swearing under her breath when she found the door was locked, she drew her weapon and took a deep breath. She hated the idea of drawing more unwanted attention with the noise, but knew her options were limited, so with one determined run, she cracked the door frame and was inside. Her eyes immediately darted around the deserted living room, senses on high alert. Her footsteps were soft and quiet, though she knew there was no point after the entrance she had made. The house wasn’t large, but she meticulously searched it, starting with the first floor. The upstairs bathroom and small bedroom had been cleared when she heard it - a soft footfall from behind a closed door, then silence. Jane weighed her options, but exhaustion made her decision a simple one.

 

“I’m a cop, I’m armed, and I’m done. If you’re alive, slowly open the door and come out with your hands up. Don’t make me ask again.”

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” a familiar voice said from the other side of the door. It creaked open and Barry Frost inched his way out.

 

“Jesus,” Jane whispered.

 

“Not quite,” he grinned, and let out a groan as her arms wrapped tightly around him. “Glad to see you, too, Jane.” When she didn’t immediately let go, he held her closer. “Hey. Hey, it’s okay. I mean, it _is_ okay, right? Dr. Isles?”

 

Jane pulled back and wiped her eyes. “Yeah.” She shook her head in disbelief. “She’s downstairs. Shit!” she swore. “Don’t go anywhere!”

 

She thumped down the stairs, oblivious to the noise. Throwing open the door, she quickly crouched down to face Maura. She cradled her face in her hands and smiled through her tears. “You’re not going to believe this, sweetheart, but Frost is upstairs.”

 

Maura blinked. “Here?”

 

“Yes, here.” She stood and glanced around before holding out her hands. “Come on.”

 

…..

  
  
  


 

  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

…..

 

She felt Maura’s resistance when they stepped into the house; the tug on her hand pulled Jane back. She turned and drew Maura into her arms.

 

“I know, sweetheart, I know.” She whispered into thick tresses of blonde hair, punctuating her promises with soft kisses. “We are gonna have the biggest meal we can throw together. And we’re going to have it with Frost.”

 

“He’s really here?” Maura asked, her voice muffled in Jane’s neck.

 

Leaning back, Jane smiled. “He’s really here. You were right the whole time. I mean, of course you were.” Tears began to form in Maura’s eyes, and Jane brushed them aside as quickly as they fell. “Hey. All that matters is right now. We can deal with the rest later, okay?”

 

Maura sniffled and nodded, and Jane barricaded the door before leading them up the stairs. Frost was leaning against the wall in the hallway, and his face lit up at the sight of them.

 

“Oh my God,” he said in disbelief and joy. “You two really did make it. I knew it!” He slapped his hands together. Maura surprised them all by walking right up to him and enveloping him in a tight hug. “Oh. Hey. Good to see you too, Dr. Isles. Really good.”

 

She held on a second longer before stepping back and saying, “It was the organic snacks that tipped me off.”

 

He narrowed his eyes, then nodded in appreciation. “The bucket. Wait. You two were the ones tailing me?”

 

“Since Natick,” Jane said. “This one here was certain it was you.”

 

“Only after Ashland,” Maura corrected.

 

Frost sighed. “And you couldn’t yell or anything because of the zombs.”

 

Jane turned to Maura with a triumphant look on her face. “See? He calls them ‘zombs’, too!” When Maura’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, Jane took her hand. “It’s been a long day. You’re going to lie down for a while, okay?” Maura was about to protest when Jane kissed her forehead. “Just for a while. For me?” She saw the blonde’s resolve melting and kissed her again. “We’ve got an extra set of eyes now, and you know I trust him with my life.” Considering all they had been through, it wasn’t something Jane would say lightly, and she could tell Maura knew it, too. “Okay. Let’s get you settled.”

 

“My stuff’s in here,” Frost said, pointing to the big bedroom, “but I can move it, Dr. Isles.”

 

She shook her head. “That won’t be necessary. The smaller one is fine.” They got to the room, still hand in hand, when Maura turned to Frost. “And after all this time, Barry, I think you can call me ‘Maura’.”

 

…..

 

The room was small and cozy, bathed in yellows and whites, with a double bed on one side and a dresser and desk on the other. A window separated the sides with flowered curtains muting the sunlight. Jane pulled back the comforter on the bed and waited for Maura to sit. Though seeing Frost had brought some life back into her eyes, Jane knew by the defeated slump of her shoulders that the events in the house still weighed upon her. She knelt at Maura’s feet and began to remove her shoes. Maura looked at her quizzically, and Jane shrugged.

 

“I know we usually wait until night time, but we’ve never had the chance for an afternoon nap.” This explanation seemed to be enough, and Jane went back to her task. Without looking up, Jane quietly asked, “Is there anything I can do?”

 

“I killed someone,” Maura said, simply. “What can you possibly do?”

 

Jane didn’t reply, but instead rolled the socks off Maura’s feet and slid on a new pair. When she was finished, she stood and quietly sat beside the blonde. Not knowing what to say, her gaze focused on the pale blue circular rug. They sat like this for several minutes before Jane felt Maura’s hand slip into hers.

 

“I’m sorry. I know you’re only trying to help. It’s only… I’m a doctor, Jane. I’ve swore an oath to save lives.”

 

Jane nodded her understanding. “And anything I can think of saying just sounds…not helpful at all.”

 

Maura turned her head. “How do you feel about what happened?”

 

Jane shrugged but didn’t take her eyes off the floor. “It’s not any easier being a cop, you know? I think people figure our jobs give us some kind of distance from it. Doesn’t mean we don’t think about it later.” Maura squeezed her hand. “I just have to convince myself that circumstances escalated to the point where the use of deadly force was necessary.”

 

“And do you feel it was necessary here?”

 

Jane answered without hesitation. “Hell, yeah.” Turning her hips, she faced Maura and held both hands in hers. “There were two people in that room who intended to do harm. Those two weren’t us. We reacted, we didn’t instigate. We acted in self-defense.”

 

Maura took a deep breath and contemplated Jane’s words. “We could have left both bags.”

 

“And then what?” Jane asked. “How far do you think we would have gotten with no supplies? How many houses besides this one have we seen in the last 8 miles?”

 

“One, maybe two.”

 

“Right.”

 

Maura tilted her head, as if replaying the events in her mind. “You gave my bag to the brother. To Dave.”

 

“I did. Because I knew he wouldn’t have a chance without it.” This seemed to soften the lines of distress around Maura’s eyes, but the troubled expression remained. Jane decided to try a different route. “What is the legal definition of ‘self-defense’?”

 

Maura pulled her head back, confused by the change in conversation. “ _‘Protection of self - it being permitted in law to a party on whom a grave wrong is attempted to resist the wrong, even at the peril of the life of the assailant.’_ ”

 

“ _‘...even at the peril of the life of the assailant’_ ,” Jane repeated. “Maura, even if you hadn’t saved my life back in the morgue with some sciencey method that needs to be shared with other sciencey people, I still would have done it.” She squeezed her hands and looked directly into Maura’s eyes. “I love you. And I will do whatever it takes to keep you alive. Whatever it takes.”

 

The conviction in Jane’s words sounded almost like a threat, and Maura blinked at the promise. “You know, I think I know why I’m reacting this way.” Jane bent her head, encouraging her to continue. “I realized the same thing. I didn’t save your life in the morgue just to have you taken from me again.” She took a deep breath. “The realization that I will go to any lengths to protect you has caught me off-guard. I’m not sure know who I am anymore.”

 

Jane curled her hand behind Maura’s head and drew her in for a kiss. Gentle at first, it grew in its intensity, as if they both needed assurance that the other was alive and well. “I know you might not believe this about yourself,” Jane breathed at last, “but you’re the same person to me that you always were.” She kissed Maura again, this time purposely chaste, and stood, lifting Maura’s legs onto the bed. “I’ll leave the door open. Don’t worry about the time; get as much sleep as you need. Me and Frost have a lot to catch up on.”

 

She was almost out the door when Maura said, “Jane?” The brunette turned at her name. “I love you, too.”

 

…..

 

“Sooooo, you and Dr. Isles?” Frost smirked when Jane entered the room.

 

Rolling her eyes, Jane said, “I thought she said you can call her ‘Maura’ now?”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” he waved off her weak attempt. With a broad grin, he said, “I’m happy for you, Jane. It only took a damn zombie apocalypse to get you two together, but I’m happy.”

 

"Whatever," she said, though she couldn't hide her smile. She gestured to the fire he had going. "What's cookin'?"

 

"Gonna get some water boiling." He pulled out a jar from his bag. "Hope you don't mind instant."

 

She clasped her hands together and briefly closed her eyes. "You are a godsend, Frost. Coffee?"

 

"Yeah, picked it up in Ashland."

 

"From the police station? You bastard. No wonder I couldn't find any." She slapped his arm. “What made you come this way?”

 

"When the shit went down, I laid low for a long time, but I knew that couldn't last forever. Even for a Navy man, my dad had good things to say about Westover, so I figured that was as good a destination as any. Going through Natick seemed the best choice."

 

"It was our first case together." Seeing Frost's surprise, she chuckled, "You think I'd forget that? You were livid!"

 

"I’d just had that suit dry-cleaned," he protested. "Anyway, I knew the area, so..."

 

"It was the same reason we took it."

 

"And Ashland?"

 

"We were going in that direction anyway. Then we saw your fire at the police station." She tilted her chin towards the other room. "Matlock somehow convinced me to investigate."

 

Frost smirked. "Somehow."

 

Jane glared but continued. "It wasn't until later I found out you’d been there before. You never said anything."

 

The water was almost to a boil, and he placed two mugs on the table. "Didn't end up being anything other than an interesting day with Dr.- Maura," he told her. "Besides, you were having the time of your life with your mom in Atlantic City.” She replied with a short laugh. He poured the hot water over the coffee powder. "So... it's just you two?"

 

He didn't have to say more; she knew what he was asking. "Yeah," she replied softly. "Just the two of us." They were lost in their thoughts, each with their own memories of names not mentioned. Jane gazed into her coffee and savoured the aroma. "But you know, up to an hour ago, we didn't know about you, so..."

 

Yeah," he said. He nodded absently at first, then with more conviction. "Yeah. We don't know jack shit."

 

She smiled at his demeanour. Raising her mug, she proposed, "To knowing jack shit."

 

.....

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more after this one. Thanks to all who have read, and especially those who have left kudos and comments. Much appreciated.

…..

 

"Wait. You're the one responsible for that inferno out there?"

 

"Okay, first, it's not an inferno. Second, we didn't have much choice."

 

They had ventured downstairs to scavenge what they could, and in the process, Jane told him what had happened in the other house. They worked thoroughly and methodically, and Jane was reminded how good they were as a team.

 

Frost tossed some cans into an empty bag they had found in the bedroom closet. "Guess that explains Maura. She looked...not really there when she saw me. Granted, neither did you. I mean, a _hug_?"

 

Jane was thankful for his injection of humour, but admitted, "It hit her hard. I don't think she was ready for it, though I can't blame her - I'm never really ready for it, you know?"

 

He nodded. "True that. First time I actually pointed a gun at someone? Just about peed my pants."

 

"That's only because you were thinking about what the bullet hole would look like." She feigned vomiting.

 

"Yeah, very funny. You know what, though? The silver lining out of this whole mess? Dead people don't bother me any more!" He held up a can for her approval, and when she nodded, he put it in the bag. “So what kept you two in Boston? I didn’t even ask you where you ended up.”

 

She poked her head in the pantry and pulled out a bag with a laugh. “Sweet potatoes. I wonder if they’re any good.”

 

“Got some oil here; maybe we can fry them up. And if you don’t want to talk about Boston, I understand.”

 

Grabbing a frying pan, she gave the kitchen one last look. “We done here?”

 

Frost looked around and nodded. “Everything we can use, we’ve got.” He turned to leave, but she touched his arm.

 

“Sit down for a second.” She pulled out a chair and waited for him to follow suit. “There’s something about Boston I need to tell you. Hell, I’ll just come out say it: I almost turned.”

 

He frowned. “Turned where?”

 

She couldn’t help but laugh at his confusion. “Turned into one of them,” she said. “A zomb.”

 

He leaned back and laughed. “Shit. You had me thinking you were going to tell me something serious!” When her expression didn’t change, his laughter faded. “You’re kidding, right?” Her response was silence. “No. How? What do you mean ‘almost’?”

 

“It’s a long story, but the point of it is, I got a drop of infected blood in my eye.”

 

Frost’s eyes widened. “Bodily fluids, too? I didn’t even think of that.” He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. “Then what?”

 

She mirrored his pose. “Then Maura and Chang decide they’re going to try and save me.”

 

“Wait. You were at the morgue?”

 

“Yep,” she replied. “Didn’t have time to get out when it all went down. Anyway, they handcuffed me to one of the office chairs and did their science thing, which basically was trying to flush out my blood with Susie’s, because Maura wasn’t my type.” She stopped his smirk with a glare. “Blood type, Romeo.”

 

“So Susie Chang saved your life.”

 

“No,” Jane said. “For reasons they couldn’t figure out, I wasn’t taking it. Something about my white blood cells not accepting hers, even though they should’ve.”

 

Frost pondered this information. “You didn’t turn right away.”

 

“No,” she said again. “Because of the guy who infected me, we figured it takes about 7 days to turn.”

 

“So what happened? I mean, here you are.” A thought flashed across his face. “Susie?”

 

Jane smiled. “She made it. While I was out of it, some big guys with big guns came and Maura told her to go with them.”

 

“But Maura stayed.”

 

“But Maura stayed. She didn’t know what else to do, so the woman who doesn’t like to guess took a shot in the dark - she gave me her blood in a transfusion.”

 

“But I thought you said you didn’t match.”

 

“We didn’t. We don’t. That’s the kicker, Frost. I got her incompatible blood, and lived.”

 

He sat back again, seemingly exhausted from the retelling. “Holy shit.”

 

“You need to know something else that might be important. Maura told me a story about her work in Uganda. She said there was a plague that affected everyone in the camp. Everyone, except her. Frost, we think it might be her blood. Something about an abnormally high white cell count?” She shrugged, knowing he would understand her ignorance.

 

“What you’re saying is, she might be the cure for the… whatever the hell this is?” He whistled softly. He was about to say more when a voice called from upstairs.

 

“Jane?”

 

She put her finger to her lips; her silent plea that he not reveal what he had just learned. He nodded, and she stood. “We’re downstairs, Maura.”

 

The trio met on the stairs, Jane and Frost going up, and Maura coming down. “I was worried,” the blonde said. “You weren’t in the bedroom when I woke, and you weren’t in the other room, and I started to-”

 

She was silenced with a kiss. Frost had the decency to look away. In an attempt to alleviate Maura's concern, she quipped, "I’m not sure I like you being my height."

 

Maura's eyes followed Jane's gaze to their feet. Seeing she was one step higher than Jane, she smiled. "I always wondered what it would be like to be an Amazon."

 

"The weather up here's wonderful," Jane replied. "Now, you want to see what we dug up?"

 

Frost held up a frying pan. "Let me see about getting that fire going again."

 

When he got to the top of the stairs and out of sight, Jane kissed Maura's forehead. "I think that's his way of telling me I should apologize."

 

"You don't need to apologize," Maura said. "I should have known you would never leave me like that."

 

"Leave you like nothing," she corrected her. "I just didn't want to wake you up. You looked so peaceful."

 

"I did get the best sleep I've had in weeks," Maura admitted. "I'm still just... a little off-balance."

 

She didn't have to say why. Taking her hand, Jane said, "Let's get some food into you. It won't fix everything, but it's a start."

 

.....

 

"We found the usual assortment of B&M Baked Beans," Frost said as they entered the room. He was setting cans in a line on the dresser. "And five different kinds of Chef Boy-R-Dee!" he announced with feigned joy.

 

"I like Chef Boy-R-Dee," Maura said, taking a can.

 

Frost did a double-take then looked at Jane. "Is she for real?"

 

"The end of the world has affected us all in our own way," Jane deadpanned.

 

Maura raised her chin defiantly. "He got me through some very tough times." She glanced at Frost, suddenly aware he hadn't shared those times with them.

 

Jane saw the look and admitted, "Me and Frost talked about Boston."

 

"'Frost and I'," Maura automatically replied.

 

"Whew," Frost said. "The Chef Boy-R-Dee thing had me worried. But correcting Jane's grammar? Now I know it's really you."

 

"Yeah, yeah," Jane said. To Maura, she continued, "Anyway, I just thought he should know. I know we haven't talked about it-"

 

Maura shook her head. "No, that's fine. More than fine. I'm glad you know," she told Frost.

 

"Well, I'm not sure how much I know. Just that you did us all a favour by saving this one here." He wrapped an arm around Jane and pulled her into his side.

 

She made a show of wriggling free and said, "One hug per zombie apocalypse. Now, let's eat."

 

.....

 

Much to Maura's delight, the sweet potatoes were still holding on, and even Jane had to admit, sizzled in oil in the frying pan over their small fire, they were delicious. The rest of the evening was spent fortifying the house and planning for the next day, with maps splayed out and routes debated until they all agreed; avoiding the interstate was a must, so their destination for the end of the next day would be Ware. Calculations were made and Maura determined they could reach Westover by the day after that. The idea that their goal was actually in sight filled them with both excitement and uncertainty.

 

Frost was the one who dared to say out loud what they were all thinking. "What if there's nothing at Westover?" There was no immediate answer, and they sat in silence.

 

Finally, Maura said. "We build ourselves a safe place and decide what needs to be done. What else can we do?"

 

Frost shrugged. "Guess we can only worry about it if it happens, right?"

 

Jane nodded and stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. "Man, it's been a long day."

 

Chuckling, Frost said, "Yeah, I wonder if that inferno's out yet." He quickly looked over to Maura. "Sorry, Dr. Isles. I know it was hard on you."

 

"You can tell he's sincere when he calls you 'Dr. Isles'."

 

Maura offered a smile to Frost. "Thank you. It was hard on me. But seeing you today helped. Immensely." She turned her attention to Jane. "Why don't you get the first shift of sleep? If that's okay with you, Barry."

 

"I have a better idea," he replied. "Since there's three of us, we can all get 8 hours sleep. I'll stay up for the first watch and you two can catch some shut eye. I'll wake one of you up in 4 to relieve me."

 

"That's a great idea," Maura agreed. "And since I've already gotten some sleep today, you can wake me." She stopped Jane's objection with a look. "You need a good night's rest. This will be our first chance since Boston." Standing, she held out her hands and helped the brunette to her feet. "Thank you, Barry," she said sincerely, before gently pulling Jane to the next room.

 

.....

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note, this chapter is sexy-times. (Also known as, 'rated M'.)

…..

  
  


The room was cool and silent, lit only by the moonlight that seeped through the thin blanket covering the window. Stepping into the room wasn't a problem; deciding what to do when they got there was the hurdle. They stood together, awkward and quiet, unsure and uncertain.

 

"You know, he already thinks we're sleeping together." Jane's low whisper hummed through the silence.

 

“He thought that ages ago.”

 

“What??”

 

Maura’s laugh was warm in the darkness. “We would sometimes go to food festivals on the weekends; not all the time, but enough to become better acquainted.”

 

“Right. When you had that life without me.”

 

“Exactly.” Maura shifted until she faced Jane, and reached for her hands. “It was after the... incident with Hoyt in the hospital. Barry was very concerned about you and he wanted to know the best way to help you. When I told him I wasn’t sure, his reaction indicated he thought we were closer than we were.”

 

“What kind of reaction?”

 

“It was a non-verbal one,” Maura said. “You’ll have to ask him to replicate it.”

 

Jane smirked. “Let me guess - he tilted his head down, but his eyebrows went way up.”

 

“Yes, that’s it exactly. I assured him we were only friends. In hindsight, I’m not sure he believed me.”

 

“He did,” she replied, “because he asked me if the zombie apocalypse finally got us together.”

 

Maura laughed again. “And what did you tell him?”

 

“I told him to mind his own goddamn business,” Jane scoffed. She tugged Maura into her and swayed slightly when their bodies met. “So here we are.”

 

“So here we are,” Maura echoed. “What do we do now?”

 

Jane’s answer was in a kiss, bold and daring in the dark. Her hands came up to the nape of Maura’s neck where she threaded her fingers through thick waves and drew her even closer. For her part, Maura clutched fistfuls of Jane’s T-shirt, returning the kiss with equal fervor. Gone was the hesitancy that brought them to this moment; desire now seared away the doubt. Slipping her hands down, Jane grabbed the hem of Maura’s shirt and pulled it up and over her head, impatiently tossing it to the floor. As she reached for the clasp of her bra, Maura touched her forearms.

 

“We can’t,” she said breathlessly. “I mean, we can do this. God, we _are_ going to do this. But we can’t get careless.”

 

Even with Frost on guard, Jane knew she was right - they had to stay ready for anything. Getting caught naked, by any threat, would be foolish and dangerous. With a groan, Jane dropped her hands.

 

“So not fair,” she pouted.

 

Chuckling, Maura said, “There are ways.” Taking Jane’s hands, she used them to push her bra up, the faint moonlight revealing soft breasts and hard nipples.

 

“Oh, God,” Jane moaned.

 

Maura left Jane’s hands where they were, while hers slid down to the button on Jane’s jeans. Their breaths intermingled, shallow and warm, each aware of the moment. Jane squeezed Maura’s breasts, lightly pinching the nipples between her thumb and forefinger. The sound that came from the blonde was nearly Jane’s undoing.

 

“What do you want me to do?” Jane asked, hoping to discover more ways to replicate that sound.

 

“Anything,” Maura breathed, “everything. Whatever you want.” The button of Jane’s jeans popped, and she felt the zipper drag open.

 

“I don’t know if I can do anything while you’re doing that.”

 

Maura’s laugh was low and deep. “Doing what?” she asked innocently, as she slowly inched her fingertips under the waistband of Jane’s underwear until they touched coarse hair.

 

Jane squeezed Maura’s breasts harder, eliciting a small squeal of surprise. “Sorry. This is all just very…”

 

“New? Frightening? Wonderful?” Maura asked, punctuating each question with a kiss.

 

“Yes,” she replied in a shaking whisper. She barely had time to think of a longer answer before Maura’s fingers slid even lower. “Shit!” she hissed, her hips involuntarily jerking into Maura’s hand. With a brazenness that surprised her, she reached for Maura’s elbow and guided her closer.

 

When Maura complied to the unspoken demand, Jane’s knees nearly buckled. Fingers she had long admired doing the most menial of tasks were now filling her, exploring her, claiming her. Jane blinked the stars out of her eyes long enough to shuffle them towards the bed, and the two flopped onto the mattress with such carelessness that Maura laughed. Her fingers slipped from Jane, but the brunette was having none of it.

 

“Put those back,” she growled.

 

“And I thought I was going to be the bossy one.”

 

Jane kissed the smirk from Maura’s face, nipping and marking her way along her jawline, down the nape of her neck until she was guided by collarbones to breasts that begged to be worshipped. The tip of her tongue flicked at a nipple, and Maura’s back arched off the bed. Jane did it again and watched with wonder as Maura’s shoulders lifted her once more, with the added bonus of pushing her fingers deeper. Gathering as much self-control as she could muster, she propped herself on an elbow and trailed her hand down Maura’s sternum, circling her navel before skimming back up to cup her breast. Even in the dark, Jane could see Maura’s eyes watch hers. Fingertips stuttered down for a repeat journey, this time, brushing softly against Maura’s jeans. The release of the button was almost a victory cry in the quiet room, and Jane could swear she could hear each tooth of the zipper separating. As Maura had done, Jane’s fingers slipped under the cotton barrier when she stopped.

 

“I don’t have a clue what to do.”

 

"If this is you not having a clue, I'm not sure I'll survive once you know what you're doing.” As if to make her point, Maura took Jane’s hand and guided her the rest of the way. The wetness that Jane found made them both moan. They stayed this way for a long moment, savouring the newness.

 

The stillness was broken with a whisper. “I’m so stupid.”

 

Maura drew in a shaking breath before whispering, “If I agree, will you continue doing what you’re doing?” Her tone immediately changed when she felt a tear fall on her cheek. She brought a hand up to Jane’s face. “What is it?”

 

“I’m so stupid,” Jane repeated. “The denial, the thing with Casey, the pretending. It was all bullshit. I wasted so much time when I could have had this all along, couldn’t I?”

 

Maura kissed one damp cheek, then another. “My brave, beautiful detective,” she said, echoing words she had spoken days before. “You’ve had this all along, you just didn’t know it. You’ve had me. You _have_ me.”

 

The words filled the remaining space in Jane’s heart, and as she gently pushed into Maura, it was as if they were finally complete. Maura’s neck strained back at the welcome intrusion and Jane ground into Maura’s thigh at the sight, both pushing deeper into each other, until they found a rhythm that brought them to the cusp together.

 

“I love you,” Jane whispered reverently, and it was all Maura needed. Jane quickly covered Maura’s mouth with hers, stifling the cry of release, and silencing her own that soon followed. Their bodies pressed tightly together in the aftermath, tremors vibrating between them like small aftershocks. Jane buried her head in the crook of Maura’s neck, inhaling the scent of the woman who meant everything.

 

Maura licked parched lips and smiled. “Barry was right.”

 

“I don’t know if I want to be bringing Frost into our bedroom,” Jane mumbled into soft skin. “But okay, I’ll bite - why was he right?”

 

“It only took a zombie apocalypse to get us together.”

 

“Remind me to thank a zomb later,” Jane said. “In the meantime…” She sat up and lavishly gazed at Maura. “I might know what I’m doing now.”

 

Maura’s warm laughter was all the encouragement Jane needed.

 

…..

  
  
  
  
  



	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Chapters 8 & 9 were posted together, so make sure you check out chapter 8 before this one.)
> 
> The ending is rather open-ended, without being a cliffhanger, in the event I want to return to this universe. I hope it's enough of an ending to satisfy you! Thanks to all those who have read, left kudos, and/or left reviews. As always, much appreciated.

.....

The uneven schedule of university and residency finely tuned her internal clock, and even after all these years, the 'alarm' was within minutes. Three hours and fifty-eight minutes before she was to relieve Frost of watch duty, she rolled onto her back and gingerly stretched. The woman beside her didn't budge, and Maura smiled. She wanted to think Jane's contentment was a combination of long overdue, uninterrupted sleep and the even longer overdue consummation of their attraction.

 

Shaking her head, she quietly chuckled to herself. _'Consummation'? We had sex. Unbridled, passionate, glorious sex._ Her body twitched at the memory. _Finally._ She glanced over at Jane, and was grateful the detective was still asleep; she wasn't sure she wanted to explain why, in light of everything they had to face, she couldn't stop grinning.

 

Expecting Frost to knock any minute, she stood with a languid stretch and sighed deeply. Despite it all, she was happy, genuinely happy, and the feeling gave her hope for the future, whether that was Westover or somewhere else. After a quick check to make sure her clothing was covering everything necessary, she bent forward and gently kissed Jane's lips, then laid her head briefly against her heart. The brunette didn't wake, but a crooked smile tugged at the sleepy corners of her mouth before she rolled over and took all the blankets.

 

.....

 

“Oh hey, Maura,” Frost said as she came out of the room. “I was going to give you another 30 minutes.”

 

She waved away his offer. “I slept enough this afternoon, but thank you. How are things?”

 

He shrugged. “Very quiet. And not in a ‘too quiet’ kind of way.” His smile was broad and bright. “How are things with you?”

 

She felt the blush creep up her neck, though he seemed not to notice. “Good now. I was honest when I said that seeing you today helped me so much.”

 

“Jane told me what happened. In the house. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

 

“I… I suppose it’s been harder for me to adapt than I realized.”

 

“Understandable,” he nodded. “She, uh, she also told me about Boston. About… how you saved her.”

 

His words held more meaning under the surface and Maura wondered how much he knew. “She told you about the infection?” He nodded again. “And how Susie and I tried the blood transfusion?”

 

“Told me something about how Susie’s blood didn’t work even though it should’ve. But yours did?”

 

“I can’t really explain it,” she told him. “Considering the state she was in, by all the laws of science, she should have died the minute her body tried to accept my transfusion.”

 

Her jaw clenched tightly at the memory, and Frost must have seen it, because he said, “That’s our Jane. Scientific law? Pshhh!” He waved a hand dismissively and made a face.

 

His efforts were not in vain, and his words soothed her. She breathed deeply, releasing the tightness in her heart. “Yes. That’s definitely our Jane.”

 

“Wouldn’t want to be in a zombie apocalypse with anyone else,” he said. “Well, I mean you, too, Maura.”

 

Whatever tension remained melted into the night and she smiled. “Did you want to sleep here or in the other room with Jane?”

 

“I think my days of sleeping with Jane are long gone.” Her mouth dropped open and he bent over with laughter. “You should see your face!”

 

“I see why you two are so close.” Her stern attempt was a lost cause in the face of his mirth. “I take it you mean to sleep in here. I’ll leave both doors open.”

 

“Before you go…” He reached into his bag and held out a peace offering. It was a package similar to the one they found in the hydraulic lift.

 

The corners of her mouth twitched in amusement as she took it from him. “I suppose you’re forgiven. Is there anything I can get for you before I go?”

 

He patted his holster. “My gun and you two. What more could I need?”

 

His smile was full of warmth and with a glance over her shoulder towards the small room, Maura realized she had found a sense of normalcy for the first time in a long time.

 

…..

 

Jane’s eye cracked open and she winced at the light. Even with the blanket over the window, the morning sun cheerfully lit up the room, and she pulled the covers over her head in annoyance. A chuckle made her flip back the sheet. Sitting beside the window, with feet tucked underneath her, a book propped on her lap, and a cup of tea on the ledge was the object of her scrutiny… and her affection. Jane stretched in all four directions and thought of the previous night. With a grin, she closed her eyes and said, “You know, this is exactly how I pictured our morning after. Minus the zombs, of course.”

 

“Naturally you’d picture a black man serving you coffee in bed,” Frost said from the doorway.

 

Jane scrambled to a sitting position, bringing all the blankets up to her neck. Her memory quickly reminded her she wasn’t naked, and she tried with a nonchalance that fooled no one to drop the covers. “Made it this far only to die of a heart attack. Thanks, Frost,” she grumbled. “And what are you laughing at?” she asked Maura.

 

“You.”

 

“You know, polite society would try not to single me out.”

 

“Shit,” Frost grinned, “we’re not in Kansas anymore, Jane.”

 

Maura beamed. “I understand that reference!”

 

“Great,” Jane said. “Why don’t you and Toto take your show on the road? But not before I get that coffee.” Frost crossed the small room with the hot mug. "How does it look out there? Hey, you were supposed to wake me up!" she said, looking at Maura. "God, how long did I sleep?"

 

"Almost 10 hours," Maura replied. "Barry only slept 6, even though I assured him he could sleep longer."

 

He shrugged and smiled. "I guess I'm not used to getting a deep sleep anymore."

 

Yawning, Jane said, "I don't seem to have a problem. I haven't slept like that in forever."

 

"There's probably a good reason for that." Frost looked at Jane, then Maura, then back to Jane. His smirk spoke volumes.

 

Maura quickly glanced over to Jane. "I thought I was quiet!"

 

Jane groaned and Frost laughed. "I just meant, knowing you’re safe makes it easier to sleep. Not sure what you're talking about, Dr. Isles."

 

Jane pointed at him, but directed her comment to Maura. "When he calls you 'Dr. Isles', he’s either being sincere, or he's being a shit."

 

Maura hummed. "I'm beginning to see what you mean." Shrugging, she said, "It was wonderful and I have no reason to feel ashamed.”

 

Jane covered her head. "Oh, God."

 

"I bet-"

 

She glared at Frost. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence.”

 

"I was going to say, I bet those cans of peaches would taste really good right about now," he said.

 

"Uh-huh."

 

With a smirk, he said, "So why don't I go get them?"

 

"Yeah, why don't you go do that?"

 

Maura reached out to touch his arm as he passed. "Thank you, Barry." When he left, she turned to Jane. "To answer your earlier question, it looks fine out there. It might still be wet in certain areas, but travelling shouldn't be too difficult."

 

Jane stood, stretched, and pulled Maura up for a kiss. "Last night was amazing," she whispered.

 

"It was," Maura agreed. "And... we're okay?"

 

Frowning, Jane asked, "Why wouldn't we be?"

 

"I don't know." Maura floundered to find the right words. "I just... I never made an overture towards you partly because I was always worried about the morning after."

 

"You weren't worried about the night of?"

 

"Not at all. I knew we'd be very compatible sexually." Jane made a face at the word. Maura kissed her lightly and smiled. "Your embarrassment at how good you are in bed is adorable."

 

"Probably because no one ever told me I was good in bed. I mean, no one told me I was bad, but you know... Maybe the more you tell me, the less embarrassed I'll get."

 

Maura picked up the swagger immediately. "That's the confident detective I've grown to love."

 

Jane's smile faltered. "I wish I told you sooner. That I love you. I mean, all the things that stopped me from saying it seem so stupid now."

 

"They weren't stupid at the time. Not to you. And I understand. Besides," she kissed Jane's chin, "what's done is done. We can only look ahead."

 

"You two lovebirds done in there?" came the call from the next room. "These peaches ain't getting any fresher."

 

"Hold your horses," Jane called back. "I'm making out with my girl." Before roaming hands got any more ideas, Jane stepped back and began making the bed.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Jane looked at the bed, then to Maura. “Uh, making the bed? You’ve made the bed everywhere we’ve slept.”

 

Maura watched as she tucked a corner under the mattress. “I just feel…”

 

“That you don’t want them to come back to an unmade bed,” Jane finished for her. “I get it.”

 

“It’s silly.”

 

Jane smoothed the blanket and fluffed the pillows. “It’s not silly. I thought we already agreed, we don’t know?”

 

She conceded the point with a soft, “Well…”

 

“Okay. So they’ll come home to a house that’s been picked clean, and a bedroom that’s going to have a decent amount of smoke damage. But the bed’s going to be made. Ta-da!”

 

Narrowing her eyes, Maura said, “I can’t tell if you’re mocking me or not.”

 

“Not,” was Jane’s answer. “It’s what you believe. So it’s what I believe. Now come on, before Frost eats all the food.”

 

The first thing they saw when they entered the other room was the bed.

 

“See, Frost made his bed, too,” Jane pointed out.

 

He looked up from his bowl. “Hell yeah I made the bed. My dad’s a military man. He’d have my ass if I didn’t.”

 

Jane whistled. “I bet I could bounce a quarter off that sucker.”

 

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a dime. Peaches?” He handed her a can.

 

“Thanks. Sugarbear.”

 

The two looked at Maura, who took a second to clue into the banter. “Oh. Oh, no. I don’t answer to pet names. Not in public.”

 

Frost bowed his head and pressed his lips together. “I know what I’ll be thinking about all day.”

 

Jane snorted. “You and me both, buddy.”

 

He graciously changed the subject by motioning to the tea pot on the dresser. “The water should still be hot, if you want.”

 

“Oh, I want!” Jane jogged into the other room and returned with her mug and Maura’s cup. As she sprinkled some instant coffee into hers and splashed some hot water over top, she said, “I meant to ask you yesterday - what are you carrying?” She topped up Maura’s tea and handed her the cup.

 

“My BPD issue. Why?”

 

She stood with the bowl in her hand and walked over to her bag. “We lost a couple of mags… back there. But since we’ve been careful about shooting, we’re loaded with ammo.” She reached into the backpack and pulled out two. “Take these. Just in case. As for you…” she turned to Maura. “We found an extra pack in the closet, so you’re up and running again. I threw in a couple of sweaters. The nights are getting colder.”

 

Maura put down her breakfast to envelop Jane in a hug. “Did you grab extra socks?”

 

“Yep, got those, too. Couldn’t find shoes to fit either of us, but I think ours dried out overnight.”

 

“I grabbed some stuff, too,” Frost said as he packed the ammunition.

 

Looking around the room, Jane said, “All right. Let’s get cleaned up, then I guess we’re set.”

 

They collected their bowls and Jane convinced Maura to leave them in the bathroom sink. Bags were checked and double-checked, and washroom visits were taken in turn. Frost peeked outside one last time and gave the thumbs up. Maura slipped the backpack over her shoulders and adjusted the straps. Jane hoisted her bag up and smiled. “We good?”

 

Maura nodded and Frost replied, “We’re good.”

 

“Okay,” Jane said. “Sturbridge, then Westover. Two days. I guess we’ll find out then.” There was just enough coffee left in her mug for her to raise it in a toast. Frost and Maura followed suit. “In two days.”

 

They all smiled, and in unison said, “In two days.”

 

…..

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
